HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) is three years into a £1bn programme of changes but is facing significant delays and failing to take into account the experiences of court users, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned.

“HMCTS has made good progress in reforming some services but it is behind where it expected to be and has had to scale back its ambitions,” said Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO. “The timescale and scope remain ambitious and [it] must maintain a strong grip if it is to deliver a system that works better for everyone and delivers savings for the taxpayer.”

The modernisation programme will include an increase in the use of “virtual hearings” in criminal cases, with judges and magistrates dealing with defendants from a police station or prison using a video link.

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